Two-minute read.
“Why do people go out drinking on Saturday night and to church on Sunday morning. That doesn’t seem very Christ-like to me?” My sister-in-law peppered me with the question for years, never accepting my answers. But this verse answers her question. Receiving God’s grace, given to us by Jesus on the cross, does free us from our sin nature. However, the freedom we receive doesn’t give us a license to sin. In other words, once we admit and acknowledge our wrongdoings, God wants us to stop doing them. Jesus says to us what He said to the naked, adulterous woman, caught in her sin, dragged through the streets to the Savior for judgment.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
John 8:11
Paul instructs the Galatians, and us, to use our freedom in Christ to serve others, not to sin repeatedly. However, we may struggle to let some things go more than others. A favorite sermon illustration comes to mind. Seeking advice from his pastor, the alcoholic asked him, “Why do I still have the desire to drink?”
“Well, what do you do when you want a drink?” The pastor questioned.
“I get on my knees and pray.”
“Would you pray as much if God took the desire away from you?”
As Jesus’s followers, He wants us to leave our lives of sin and rely on Him for all our needs. The Lord desires us to use our newfound freedom to serve others, and by doing so, we share Jesus with them. Drawing closer to the Savior, we will align our hearts with His and desire what He desires. Living in sin leads only to death, but receiving God’s grace fills us with His Spirit and leads us to an abundant life. People who get stuck in their walk with the Lord, unable to let go of their sin and move forward, never experience the abundance of blessings God wants to give them. Only when we become obedient to Christ will we enjoy His harvest of blessings.
Use your God-given freedom wisely to serve others. Leave your sin in the past, and live for the applause of nail-scarred hands. The Lord will help you find victory over whatever struggles you have. In Him, you will discover life to the fullest. Embrace the Savior’s grace today, live in the freedom He died to give you. Honor Jesus by serving others and loving them well.
Journal Questions:
How have you discovered freedom in Christ?
In what ways do you struggle with habitual sin?
How can you go and sin no more with Jesus?
Application:
Use gratitude to motivate service.
